Sliding doors, such as sliding overhead doors, are commonly used in various types of structures. In a garage, for example, automatic sliding overhead doors are commonly used. The automatic doors are typically activated by a remote control or by a switch within the garage or house. One common problem with automatic overhead doors occurs when there is a power failure. Although overhead garage doors typically have a release mechanism that allows the door to be manually operated during a power failure, these doors often cannot be locked once the door has been released. Thus, a secondary lock is needed to prevent theft, vandalism and other types of unauthorized entry when the door has been released.
Another situation in which a secondary lock is needed on a sliding door occurs when a garage is being rented. The door may have a manual locking mechanism that locks the door, but a secondary lock is needed so that the individual renting the space can separately lock the door and prevent unauthorized access. Storage trailers with sliding doors (e.g., at construction sites) also have a need for secondary locking.
Existing manual locks have a number of drawbacks. In particular, existing locking devices typically involve complex locking mechanisms with multiple moving parts that are difficult to install and use with the sliding door. Many existing locking devices also must be permanently mounted to the door or other supporting surface and cannot easily be removed without damaging the surface. Other existing door locking devices can only be locked from within the garage.
Accordingly, a need exists for a sliding door locking device that provides secondary locking for a sliding door to prevent unauthorized opening of the door. A need also exists for a sliding door locking device that can be removably mounted to the sliding door without damaging the door and that allows the door to be locked from the outside.